We are not to make any graven image of God—as the commandment already states in the time of Moses. Is it because, whenever God appears to a mortal in the Old Testament, He cannot be seen but can be heard? God’s mighty presence manifests as a powerful sound.
Like no other instrument, the resonant organ is uniquely suited to convey to us a sense of this being we call God—a being so difficult to imagine. No wonder, then, that organ music time and again describes God’s nature—in Bach’s chorale preludes (“In You Is Joy”) as well as in Olivier Messiaen’s extended meditations (“God Is Simple”). And it becomes particularly interesting when an agnostic like Hans Werner Henze uses the organ to bring a pair of gods from ancient Greece to life… “Half an Hour of Organ Music” is a concert series presented jointly once a year by the Siegen Choir and the University of Siegen’s Studio for New Music: A brief introduction opens up new perspectives for listeners, followed by musical works from both the past and the present centered on a common theme.
Admission is free.
